Why is one person tall and skinny and another short and stout? How can someone eat a 2000 calorie meal and not gain a pound, while another struggles to keep weight off eating a mere 1000 calories a day? When we gain weight, why do some of us pack it on right over that unattainable six-pack, and others only seem to gain from the hips down?

We all have unique bodies. And much of their individuality is determined by how our different hormone-producing glands do their thing. Today, we’re going to talk about that, and how you can tailor your diet to help your glands along, allowing you to look and feel better.

The ultimate goal is a diet tailored specifically for you. No straight-off-the-shelf diets here. We’ve previously discussed food allergies, and how eliminating them from your diet can be one of the most profound actions you can take for your health. Ridding yourself of these metabolic stressors is a huge step. But there’s much more to consider when it comes to your diet.

Why do you look the way you look?

Your body looks the way it does due in no small part to the hormones it produced during your development. In most cases, these hormones generated in various glands throughout your body. These glands drive a variety of functions, but here are some with the most significant impact on your diet and development:

• Adrenal glands

-These guys sit on top of your kidneys and perform many functions, from blood sugar regulation to mineral balance. Developmentally, they play a key role in muscle building. A person with a muscular build most likely had active, robust adrenals. Interestingly, when your adrenals are overactive, abdominal weight gain is the result.

• Pituitary gland

-The pituitary gland secretes the growth hormone (among others), which promotes increased height and the enlargement of bones in the body. Ever wonder what makes a professional basketball player so tall? Here’s your culprit.

• Thyroid gland

-The bane of weight-gainers the world over; the thyroid produces thyroid hormone, which regulates the metabolism of every cell in your body. Yes, every cell. Know someone who stays skinny no matter what? They have their thyroid to thank. Low thyroid function tends to promote weight gain evenly from the elbows to the knees.

• Gonads

-The ovaries in women, and testes in men drive the development of secondary sexual characteristics (e.g. pubic hair growth, larynx enlargement in men, widening of hips in women, etc.). Hormones produced here are also responsible for the closing of growth plates in your bones, tending to make a gonadal-dominant person shorter in stature. Dolly Parton is an example of the stereotypical gonadal-dominant woman. In women with dysfunctional ovarian hormones, weight gain along the outer thighs and hips is typical.

The bottom line is that much of how we look is simply a byproduct of the relative strength or weakness of these glands and the hormones they produce. Simply put, someone with strong adrenal dominance is referred to as an adrenal “type”. But breaking down how our hormones mix would be better described as choosing from a variety of colors to create a rich palette, rather than narrowly defining someone as a type “A, B, C, or D.”

Food as a Drug

While these glandular differences in each of us have influenced how we look, they are also profoundly important factors in determining which foods to eat, and which to avoid.

Most people can wrap their heads around the idea that a drug changes your physiology (i.e. how your body works), but many see food as no more than a source of fuel. The truth is that the foods you eat have a significant impact on your hormonal function; sometimes just as strong as any pharmaceutical. Food isn’t just fuel for your body. The dietary choices you make can also speed you up, slow you down, and be the difference between a smooth ride, or a bumpy one.

To look and feel our best, we should make food choices that support our weaker glands, and avoid stimulating our stronger ones. For starters, keep these facts in mind:

• The adrenals tend to be stimulated by red meat and greasy foods.
• The thyroid can be thrown into overdrive by carbohydrates (particularly refined ones) and sugars.
• The gonads can be stimulated by saturated fats, particularly those in dairy, such as cream or cheese.
• The pituitary is frequently driven by dairy protein, which is found in cheese, cow’s milk, and any other dairy product.

If you’re a little confused about how all of this goes together, don’t fret. The body is a wonderfully complex system, and being able to wade through all of this effectively is part of the science and art of good health care. A practitioner who knows you, can evaluate your body type, and navigate your particular symptoms and propensities is a valuable asset in your quest to find a diet that truly works for your unique physiology.

But if you’re not working with a knowledgeable health professional, what can you do? In addition to keeping in mind the facts listed above, consider these guidelines:

1. Pay attention to your cravings. Ironically, we tend to crave the things that drive our dominant glands. Got a sweet tooth? Consider adding more protein to your diet (even red meat) to stabilize your thyroid. Can’t pass a barbecue joint without stopping? When these cravings kick in, stick to proteins from poultry and fish, and listen to what your mama said about eating more veggies.
2. Let your energy levels be your guide. If you frequently get tired after eating, consider it a warning sign. This is not normal, though it is quite common. Try lowering the percentage of carbohydrates you take in, and slowly increase your protein until you no longer feel this effect. We’ll explore this topic in detail next time, when we discuss blood sugar balance.

Remember, foods are powerful. Of all the things I’ve seen transform a patient’s life, there is nothing that holds a candle to simply improving one’s diet. Your efforts here will be well rewarded.

Next time, we’ll continue our diet-building journey, exploring how stabilizing your blood sugar can be the key to solving a multitude of health problems. Stay with us!